Influenza and Tdap vaccination coverage among pregnant women

CDC researchers investigated recent compliance with influenza and Tdap vaccination recommendations for expecting mothers, which call for immunization during each and all pregnancies.

CDC researchers investigated recent compliance with influenza and Tdap vaccination recommendations for expecting mothers, which call for immunization during each and all pregnancies. Using online survey data collected in March and April 2018, the team analyzed responses entered by 1,771 women who were pregnant during the most recent peak influenza vaccination period: October 2017 to January 2018. About 49% of the sample reported receiving influenza vaccine before or during pregnancy. The takeup rate was 63.8% among women whose own provider offered to vaccinate them, 37.6% for women whose provider did not offer to the service but recommended it, and 9% for women who were never even advised to get the vaccine. The outcomes were similar among the 700 respondents who had a live birth, 54% of whom received Tdap. Vaccination rates in this subset, respectively, were 73.5%, 38.3%, and 1.6%. With both vaccines, patients who received a recommendation but were referred to other providers were more likely to be vaccinated than their counterparts who received a recommendation but no referral. The results of the analysis suggest that the pregnant population is not adequately protected with the influenza and Tdap vaccines—with only about one-third of the sample receiving both immunizations—but that providers have an important role in reversing this trend. Provider offers or referrals for vaccination, along with patient education, could help boost vaccination coverage among pregnant women.